Research Information System
JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY, vol.45, no.2, pp.117-136, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
The ecological vulnerability and resilience of watersheds are closely linked to the presence and sustainability of forest ecosystems. In this study, we employed a spatial, indicator-based methodology to assess sub-basin vulnerability within the strategically important Susurluk Basin in T & uuml;rkiye. The approach involved scoring 28 selected indicators representing sensitivity, exposure, and adaptive capacity, which were then aggregated to generate a single vulnerability score for each sub-basin. To validate the methodology, we conducted a comprehensive statistical comparison with independently collected ecological water quality data. A strong correlation (R2 approximate to 0.79) between the vulnerability scores and water quality parameters confirmed the reliability of the assessment. The findings demonstrate that ecological degradation - effectively monitored through water quality metrics - can serve as a practical proxy for assessing sub-basin vulnerability. This assessment enables the identification of high-risk sub-basins, providing critical insights for prioritizing areas that require ecosystem restoration and long-term sustainability efforts. Moreover, integrating this approach into forest management planning has the potential to enhance the hydrological services that forest ecosystems provide.